Chapter II
The answer

I watched Zabini for a while with a perplexed expression.

Meanwhile he let go of my arm and looked at me questioning and nervous. Why was he so nervous all the time? I didn't get it. I really didn't get it. Was it me? Did I do something embarrassing again without noticing? It seems that it happens often lately…

"Um, sure", I said after my brain behind my forehead proceeded his question and shrugged lamely. I saw him breathe out in a relieved manner without even noticing, that he held it the whole time in. Did I miss something?

"Good… Um, when would you like to meet up?"

"How… How about Saturday? About 4.30 PM? I don't know, are you here then? – There is this trip to this Muggel museum and—"

"No worries, I don't go with them – I, um… pick you up in the entrance hall, right? Is that okay?"

I nodded and Zabini managed to smile, nodded and said goodbye with a short little wave with his left hand and left the classroom. I shook my head and went with the vial, which was still in my hand, to Snape, who wrote something in his book and looked up short, when I put the vial on his table.

"Good job today, Mister Weasley", he grumbled and I nodded just before I left the room. Did I hear right? He attributed me – me, Ronald Billius Weasley – praise? What was wrong today? I totally need to owl mom, she'll never believe me!

In a good mood I went cheerfully through the hallways to the next classroom that was on my timetable and I smiled a race the sun, which shone bright outside – and it looked like I would win it crushing!

It was a miracle I didn't lose my fantastic mood, even though Hermione managed it to sit next to me in DADA and almost talked me an ear off – Until now it was one of the best days I had after the summer holidays. In my opinion, the year started great!
Actually I thought it would be a horrid nightmare because I broke up with Hermione before the summer holidays. But even if she's sometimes a pain in my arse, she's alright. It could be worse.

So far I could successfully avoid Hermione and I was on my way to the great hall, the lunch had already begun. As I entered the hall I immediately saw her fighting the seat next to her as if it would mean the world, and I knew right away the she wanted me sitting there. With a sigh I couldn't suppress, I peered along the table for another free seat – with no luck. So I accepted my fate and stopped beside Hermione to take the seat next to her, whereupon she just weirdly smiled and turned her whole attention on me. She already forgot that I screamed at her in the morning and asked me where I have been until now. She even ignored my rolling eyes and to please her so she wouldn't nag, I just went on listening her talk about something but only heard half of it, because I didn't really care anyways. Harry, who was sitting in front of me, looked at me with some sort of caring and apologetic look, whereupon I shot him a thankful look back, before I shovelled plenty of food on my plate. Today was meatloaf on the list – my love for this dish rose higher and higher the more I smelled the wonderful scent.

"—nd then Snape really had the nerve to give me an Acceptable for today. Can you believe that, Ron?! An Acceptable! I swear, it's all Nott's fault! If I had worked alone, I would have got a better one! But the old bat probably gave everyone such a bad grade. I don't understand, why we have to be–"

"That's not right."

"—ar his bad mood, after all we could've—What?!"

I rolled with my eyes and stuffed a piece of my meatloaf with sauce in my mouth, "He didn't give everyone a bad grade – I got an Exceeds Expectations", I answered her with a full mouth then I swallowed my bite. I turned my head to look at her and saw how shock spread over her face and seconds afterwards she turned red and her cheeks puffed up with fury and anger.

"You got what! An Exceeds Expectations?! Why?!"

I knitted my forehead tiredly, "Oh geeze – Just because you didn't get a good grade, doesn't mean that I may not get one!"

"Yeah, Sure – but it means you're better than me! That's just so—"

Incredible. Just incredible – I just got a grade and everything she worries about, is that she's not better than me. How can she be like that?! "I don't understand, why you just can't be happy for me. There I finally get a good grade from Snape – from Snape, I tell you – and you are so focused on yourself that you don't grant me this one little win and just want to be the best. In everything! But guess what, I'll reveal you something: You aren't. You are not the best in everything and when you may allow, I want to go on eating!"

Angrily she stared at her lap where her hands were bundled up in fists and didn't look at anyone sitting at our table that all turned towards our conversation in the meanwhile as I started to talk louder and now must be looking at us, whispering to each other. I focused my plate and continued eating and even if I couldn't see it, I knew she nearly busted with anger. A few minutes she didn't say anything – but then she started again. This time she complained to Harry, that I 'got no manners what so ever' and that it would be a 'real unnecessary discussion' of me.

"I really don't like saying this, Hermione, but Ron is right", I heard Harry agreeing with me and I looked up to him, "You shouldn't try so hard to be the best in everything – you'll just scare off everyone. And just because you got a bad grade, you don't have to nag around all the time."

"But that's the only way I can explain it to myself!"

"You know what? I can explain it – you just weren't good today. Even me and Bullstrode got an Exceeds Expectations, alright? I don't like to say this – I really don't, but Snape's idea to mix us with the Slytherins was totally great. That grade is really useful for me."

After that I faded out the conversation between Harry and Hermione and focused on my food.

After lunch I went up to my room to escape from Hermione's grumbling. On my way I met Zabini, who walked through the hallways, next to him Malfoy and I could figure out that they were on their way down to the dungeons. When he spotted me, he smiled at me and then went on with his conversation with Malfoy. I didn't know why, but after the two Slytherins were gone I had a great mood. Not because of Malfoy – rather because of Zabini. I rarely had something to do with a nice snake and essentially I can thank him for the good grade in Potions this morning.

I pulled off my shoes and let them lay beside my bed; during I threw the bag with schoolbooks and vellums on my bed. Then I lay down on my back next to my bag with books shattering out of it on the mattress and stared at ceiling. Somehow I was feeling different – I can't figure out why, but something changed. It has to do something with Zabini, I'm sure of it. I can't find another reason, nothing serious happened lately. I agreed to a meeting with him, sure. But it's nothing special, when you meet up with someone. Okay, in this case, yes, it was something special – I mean; since when do I meet up with a Slytherin.

Before I could worry about this any further, the door opened and Harry came in with an exhausted expression on his face. He closed the door behind him with a loud noise.

"Everything's alright?"

"No, nothing's 'alright' – What was your brain thinking to get the idea to leave me alone with her? Hermione is now annoying me instead of you, because you fled off to our room", he said and sighed. During he copied me from a few minutes ago and also pulled off his shoes and sat next to me on my bed.

I frowned, "That bad?"

"Bloody hell, of course 'that bad'!"

I sighed, "I can't understand her. I really can't. Before I got together with her everything was so uncomplicated – well, so uncomplicated Hermione can be… Now I think, it would have been better, when I never asked her out on a date. Who would have thought that Hermione is even more complicated and exhausting in a relationship and even after one than she is anyway?"

Harry shrugged and scratched his head then let himself fall backwards in the sheets, "Don't think about it so much, mate – I mean, it was nearly a scandal that you broke up with Hermione. After all, we thought you two would be growing old together – you know: Marriage, children and all that shite."

"Well, I'm relatively a simple one, you're right. I was surprised, that I was thinking about breaking up already after two weeks – I mean: That's bullshite! Two weeks – half a month – later and I couldn't stand her anymore! That's just… crazy!" Outraged I threw my arms in the air and put my head in the neck to look at Harry, who just looked pensive.

I shook my head, "But what do I care now!", I sat up and grabbed my bag to take out my transfiguration book so that I could write the essay for old McGonagall, "A game of wizard chess later?"

"Hm, no. You're always winning anyways – always loosing is not very funny", he laughed, "Ask Seamus – He is considerably better than me and at least a serious enemy for you!"

He stood up and said goodbye with a "I'm taking a walk!", then he left the room through the door.

The time until dinner I needed completely for the essay for McGonagall – Now, since I sampled the sweet taste of good grades, I wanted more sense of achievement and focused more on it. It had a nice side effect: Now that I will spend more time in studying freely, Hermione would find less time to annoy me. She pushed me and Harry to study anyway – now she got what she wanted.

After I swamped my belly at dinner I went stuffed and happy with Harry and Seamus walking behind me and Hermione even closer on my back up to the Gryffindor-tower, in which we immediately made us comfortable in the common room. Hermione was fairly calm this evening and sat in an armchair reading a book and Harry was already in our room with Dean and Neville. I caught Seamus, just like Harry suggested, and asked him for a match.
Immediately we sat comfortably in a quiet corner of common room, in which we built up the chess board.

"What did you do so she lets you have your space?" Seamus asked me, while he was putting up the black figures on his side of the board.

I shrugged with my shoulders and leaned forward to the Irishman, and pretend I would tell him a secret. He also leaned in my direction and listened curious, "I studied."
For fun, I stretched the word in a kind of way it sounded like I would speak of it in disgust.

"You? You studied? Are you ill, Ron? Let me feel your forehead – I'm sure you have certainly a fever—" With a grin he put his hand on my forehead and groped my face, whereupon I tried to force it away, with success.

"I'm not ill", I sulked grinning, "Am I not allowed to shock somebody?"

"Well", the Irish hummed and hawed, "Until now you bucked against it, but when it helps you to get your space – it shouldn't be my problem", he said and raised both of his hands in a apologizing manner.

"How did you like potions?"

The Irish looked up, "With the Slytherins?" – "No, with my mum. Of course with the Slytherins!" – "Okay, okay, fine! I actually meant the partner work." Seamus laughed and shook his head, "For me? It was total crap."

"How so?"

Seamus looked at me like he didn't hear right, "How can you even ask that? Hello? I had to work with Malfoy! And he wasn't really enthusiastic that I was his partner either", he sighed and made his first turn on the chess board, "I thought, I would get a good grade – at least – because I know the ferret is marvellous in potions. But short straw! I had to do it all by myself! I was just surprised that he accepted the bad grade just like that…"

"Do you think he's planning something? I saw him starring at Harrys back of his head and he also looked like he wanted to strangle Snape a few times."

Seamus raised again both of his hands derogatory, "Pfft – I don't care. As long as it's not my problem I don't care. How was it for you by the way? At noon I heard you did good in Potions."

"Yeah, due to Zabini. He's not so bad – Others are definitely worse."

"Can't say I disagree with you…"